Tragedy Strikes: Air India Flight Crashes in Ahmedabad

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed profound sorrow following a tragic aviation accident in Ahmedabad, marking the incident as 'heartbreaking beyond words.' In a message shared on the social media platform X, PM Modi extended his condolences while assuring full support for those impacted.

In his post, the Prime Minister emphasized his continuous engagement with state officials to monitor developments closely. 'The tragedy in Ahmedabad has left us stunned and deeply saddened. It is an unspeakable loss. In these difficult moments, my thoughts are with everyone affected. I am in constant touch with Ministers and authorities who are working diligently to assist those impacted,' he noted.

An Air India flight, AI171, en route to Gatwick, London, faced an unfortunate accident shortly after its departure from Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. Air India confirmed the incident, stating the aircraft, a Boeing 787-8, had 242 passengers, including Indian, British, Canadian, and Portuguese nationals. Efforts are underway to provide medical attention to the injured, and a dedicated hotline 1800 5691 444 has been established to offer more information. Air India conveyed its full cooperation with the ongoing investigations.

The aircraft, piloted by Capt Sumeet Sabharwal and First Officer Clive Kundar, crashed in Meghaninagar shortly after takeoff. Capt Sabharwal has 8,200 flying hours, while the first officer has 1,100 hours of experience. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has dispatched a team to the crash site for a thorough investigation.

According to the Air Traffic Control (ATC), the aeroplane took off from runway 23 at 1339 IST, issued a Mayday call, but subsequently lost communication. It went down immediately after departing, with witnesses observing heavy black smoke billowing from the crash site. Emergency services have responded promptly to the scene.

(With inputs from agencies.)